James, Son of James

Fabulous Beast is an Irish company who created a trilogy of performances set in the mid-lands of Ireland, yet they could have happened almost anywhere and are not entirely location-specific. I did not see the first two but have heard them discussed, especially in the past few months as the anticipation of the third production, James, Son of James, grew. What I had gathered was their work is ensemble-based with some narrative elements and lots of movement. In many ways it reminded me of Corn Exchange's Everyday which I saw in the festival last year. There was even one actor who appeared in both productions and for whom I have a tender affection. (He is excellent at performing vulnerability and in his comic timing.) This story also dealt with the interconnectedness of lives in a community though the consequences and media were different.

I found the production to be a sensual and evenly-created presentation. There were sounds and colors and textures constantly being used in the space in interesting ways. The set was a partial frame to a house, mostly made of raw pine which, from the front row, released a faint scent into the air. There were strings of work lights hanging or bundled. The actors sometimes sat at the edge of the stage in chairs. There were three aligned sections in the floor at centre stage that could be opened, two of which contained water. There was a feeling of transparency but there were also things that could not be seen.

I found the story handled the biblical inspirations simply, almost as if the references were only a fleeting parallel. I loved that the movement was used the way music is used: to express something in a heightened emotional state. There were a few songs which had simple tunes and arrangements that belied the witty or pointed lyrics. There was more dialogue than I had expected and I know it bothered some folks. Indeed it was the weakest point in the production, yet I enjoyed their work immensely.

The cast was diverse in countries of origin though the story did not require it. They brilliantly cast an Irish woman opposite an Eastern European man where he was the native person and she was the immigrant seeking work. This subtle displacement reinforced the tension between the transparent and the obscured that was present in the set and elsewhere in the story. Overall, it was a wonderful experience that I hope will have tremendous success in its tour.